Dear friends,
As we’ve stepped into a new year, I’m filled with gratitude for our amazing C.A.R.E.4Paws community. Because of you, more than 25,000 pet families in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties received critical support in 2025, from mobile pet wellness services and pet food to urgent, lifesaving veterinary care through the Albus Fund.
You also helped us raise $220,000 for our Pet Refuge, the first confidential pet emergency boarding facility on the Central Coast. Launching in March, the refuge will help ensure families navigating domestic violence and other life crises won’t have to choose between their own safety and the well-being of their beloved pets.
YOU inspire the happy tails!
Thanks for standing with animals and pet families when it matters most. I’m so thankful for you and excited for all that we will continue to accomplish together in 2026.
With love and pawsitivity!
Isabelle Gullö
Executive Director & Cofounder
We truly appreciate our generous donors, grantors and sponsors. Your contributions impact the future of our life-saving, life-improving services and that never, ever goes unnoticed.
In 2025, more than 800 compassionate animal lovers gave a total of $1.6 million to ensure Central Coast pets stay healthy and with the people who love them. We love the below note from Dr. Paula Kislak, a longtime supporter.
“Dr. Peter Mangravite and I have supported C.A.R.E.4Paws since the start in 2009 because of the organization’s compassionate and practical approach to reducing pet overpopulation and strengthening pet families,” says Dr. Paula Kislak, who recently donated a large stock gift. “C.A.R.E.4Paws’ commitment to meeting people where they are, and keeping pets healthy, safe and in loving homes, truly sets this group apart. We are proud to support an organization that makes such a meaningful difference for animals and families across the Central Coast.”
We are honored to have Paula as part of the C.A.R.E.4Paws community and so grateful for her continued support!
Albus Fund: The difference between hope and heartbreak 🧡
With your support, we exceeded our Albus Fund fundraising goal of $50,000, raising an extraordinary $82,815 to help dogs and cats receive urgent, life-saving veterinary care when their families need it most.
For us, having this funding means we can prevent suffering and continue to say yes to helping beloved pets like Rita, whose story is shared below.
In December, a young pup was found in a riverbed, gravely injured after a devastating dog attack. Her jaw was crushed, her injuries severe and her condition critical.
A dedicated volunteer rushed her to PETS Hospital, where the ER team described it as one of the worst cases they had ever seen: a severe, bilateral mandibular fracture with significant soft tissue trauma and exposed bone. Recovery would be long and complex but we knew we had to try to save her.
Now named Rita by her loving foster family, she was given a second chance at life. Rita underwent intensive reconstructive surgery with Dr. Dan Terhaar. She continues to receive follow-up care from the compassionate team at Main Street Small Animal Hospital and Dr. Alex Gomes.
Through it all, Rita has remained trusting, gentle and endlessly lovable, winning hearts everywhere she goes.
Rita’s care has already exceeded $2,500 and her final costs are expected to approach $3,000.
Thanks to the compassion of our community and the life-saving support of the Albus Fund, Rita received the treatment she needed!
Our Pet Refuge is a reality
Thanks to the generosity of our amazing community, we’ve reached our original, $220,000 Pet Refuge fundraising goal!
Every single gift played an important role in making this one-of-a-kind project possible for pets and families navigating domestic violence and other life crises. ♥️
The momentum continues. Recently, an incredible group of volunteers and staff came together to prepare the space for our pre-manufactured dog kennels as well as the the construction of a large play yard. With these milestones underway, we’re on track to launch the Pet Refuge in March.
As with many large projects, we’ve encountered additional, unanticipated costs that we now need to fundraise for. We are also raising funds for the day-to-day care of the dogs and cats who will stay at the refuge.
To learn more about the Pet Refuge and how to help, click below.
We send loads of gratitude to our volunteer rock stars! You make an incredible difference by donating your time and talents to C.A.R.E.4Paws, from supporting our pet wellness clinics, community programs and fundraising events to delivering pet food and fostering animals. Thank you for being an extraordinary part of our organization!
Save the date!
We’re excited to announce that our 2026 Happy Tails Celebration & Fundraiser will take place on Sunday, May 3, from 3–7 pm at Santa Barbara’s beautiful Cabrillo Pavilion.
Join us for a fun and meaningful afternoon filled with community, inspiring stories, great food and drink and exciting auctions, all in support of pet families across the Central Coast. Tickets go on sale in February, with sponsorship opportunities announced soon. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
